Pontoon



L. N. BELL ETAL June 4, 1946, V

PONTOON Filed June 24,1943

- 100/6 /l BELL Raw/M17 A. HAR /s Am HELEN 5 HA/P/Ws Patented June 4, 1946 OFFICE PONTOON Louis N. Bell, Ronald R. Harris, and Helen E. Harris, Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Application June 24, 1943, Serial-No. 492,116

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to Pontoons, and more particularly to pontoon structure whereby a strong, simple and efiicient interlocking means is provided for connecting a plurality of prefabricated water-tight compartments together to produce a pontoon of any desired length.

A further object of this invention is the production of a simple and efiicient pontoon having a specially constructed end-piece for use in constructing bridges, docks, and the like, and which is so constructed as to provide maximum carrying power with minimized resistance.

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient interior bracing means for pontoons and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the female or sunken end of the pontoon which is adapted to receive the protruding end of an adjoining pontoon;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the male or protruding end of the pontoon;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the protruding end of the pontoon, a certain portion being shown in elevation;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the socket members which is adapted to be carried by the female member;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional View of the socket member taken on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of the pontoon illustrating the manner of securing the connecting bolt to the male or protruding portion of the pontoon;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view illustrating the manner in Which the connecting bolts engage the socket members for holding the sections of the pontoon together;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the nose-piece of the pontoon;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the forward end of the nose-piece;

Figure 10 is a side elevational view partly in section illustrating the manner of bracing the pontoon section, particularly of an enlarged size;

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on line I I-II of Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view showing the manner in which the locking pins secure the sections against independent rotation.

The present invention is especially adapted for use in the construction of pontoon motor boa-t hulls of a type described in the patent of Louis N. Bell, #1,825,613, issued September 29, 1931, and constitutes an improvement upon the divisional subject matter illustrated in the application of Louis N. Bell, Ronald R. Harris and Helen E. Harris, filed April 2, 1942, Serial Number 437,424, relating to Pontoon motor boats.

By referring to the drawing it will be seen that Ill designates the male or protruding end of the section A of the pontoon, and II designates the female or sunken end of the companion section B of the pontoon. Each section of the pontoon is provided with a female portion such as is illustrated in Figure 1 at one end, and a male portion at the opposite end such as is illustrated in Figure 2. The female portion of section B is adapted to receive the protruding portion of the cooperating or adjoining section A. The female portion is provided with an inset wall I2 and an encircling flange I3, as shown in Figure 1. The encircling flange I3 is provided upon its inner face with a plurality of horse-shoe-shaped socket members I4 illustrated in detail in Figure 4.

Each socket member I4 is provided with an open end l5 and an exterior flange I6, which flange I6 extends around the two sides and one end of the socket member Hi to provide an efficient means for attaching the socket member to the inner face of the flange I 3. A longitudinally extending slot I1 is formed in the socket member Mand projects inwardl of the socket member from the open end I5 thereof. A series of socket members I8 constructed similarly to the. socket members I4 are carried by the inset wall I2 as shown in Figure 1. The socket members I8 extend at a plane substantially at right angles to the sockets I 4, which sockets I4 are carried by the inner face of the flange l3.

The section I0 is provided with a'protruding portion I9 which protruding portion I9 is adapted to fit snugly within the inset portion or female portion of the section II. This protruding portion I9 is provided with a plurality of radiating securing bolts 20 upon the periphery thereof and a plurality of protruding securing bolts 2| upon the outer end of the protruding portion I9, the bolts 2| extending in a plane substantially at right angles to the bolts 20, as shown in Figure 2, and also shown in Figure 3. These bolts 20 and 2| are provided with enlarged head portions 22 and reduced neck portions 23, the enlarged head portions 22 being adapted to overlie the sockets I4 and the reduced neck portions 23 being adapted to fit into the slots I I of the coacting socket portions M. The enlarged heads of the bolts 2| are adapted to similarly interlock with the portions I8 carried by the inset portion l2. The slots in the socket portions l4 and I8 all extend in substantially the same direction so as to receive the locking bolts and so as to permit these bolts to move into the slots of the socket portions to anchor the enlarged heads of the bolts under the socket portions in a manner as shown in Figure '7.

The bolt 2| is preferably anchored in position upon the supporting section by being threaded into a nut 24 which is welded or otherwise anchored in place within a sealed socket 25, the socket 25 being welded in place within the supporting compartment such as the compartment or section A. Each bolt 20 and 2| is similarly mounted in the manner illustrated in detail in Figures 6 and I and consequently the headed bolts 20 and 2| may be adjusted to a proper position before the sections are assembled by threading the bolts 20 and 2| through the supporting nuts such as the supporting nut 24 shown in Figure 7. Each section such as the section A is provided with a beveled wall 26 adjacent the protruding portion l9 and a suitable resilient rubber, or other sealing ring 21 is carried thereby against which the outer end 28 of the flange I3 is adapted to abut to provide a water-tight joint.

If desired, the various sections of the pontoon may be provided with a keel such as the keel 29 of the section B and the keel 30 of the section A. The keel 29 is provided at one end with the slot 3| for receiving the projecting tongue 32 of the keel 30 when the sections of the pontoon are secured together. The protruding portion IQ of the section A may be provided with suitable apertures for receiving a transversely extending rod 33 having a threaded end 34. Suitable apertures may be formed in the flange I3 in registration with the apertures formed in the protruding section IQ for receiving the rod 33, the rod tending to hold the sections against relative rotation. Similar apertures 35 and 36 may be provided in the flange l3 and protruding portion [9 to receive locking pins 35 to hold the sections against rotation.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9 a special bow end nose-piece 31 is provided having a protecting end I9 and having suitable interlocking bolts similar to that previously described with respect to the bolts 20 and 2| and having coacting sockets l4 and IS in the coacting section of the pontoon. In shaping the outer or forward end of the nose portion 31, the nose portion is cut as at 39 to provide the rearwardly diverging arcs and the nose is then pressed together, the abutting edges providing flanges 40 in the manner shown in Figures 8 and 9. This same formation is provided upon the top and bottom faces of the nose portion 31. This provides a reinforced prow, and the cut portions are welded to provide a nosepiece and to provide a canoe-type prow, and at the same time will provide a round interlocking end.

The flange |3 will provide a sleeve-like portion or end atone end of each compartment, which sleeve-like portion is adapted to fit over the protruding end l9 of the adjoinin section of the pontoon and to interlock with this protruding end by means of the bolts 20 and 2| fitting and interlocking into the horse-shoe-shaped socket members l4 and I8 of the companion or adjoining section. The inset wall |2 carries a series of socket members I8 as previously described, thereby providing a sunken or circular compartment at one end of each section of the pontoon, and this wall is preferably welded to the outer shell of the pontoon at an appropriate distance to receive the protruding end H) of the adjoining pontoon. The interlocking bolts and socket members will provide means for holding the sections firmly together and the abutting end 28 of the flange |3 by fitting snugly against the sealing gasket or similar member 21 will provide a complete and adequate sealing means to produce a water-tight joint. Through the medium of the securing elements which may pass through the apertures 35 and 36 and through the medium of the rod 33, it will be seen that means have been provided to hold the sections against accidental release one from the other after the bolts 20 and 2| have been interlocked into engagement with the socket members I4 and I8.

In the form shown in Figures 10 and 11, suitable bracing may be provided for extra long pontoons in the nature of the annular rings or bands 4| which are in turn diagonally braced throughout the length of the pontoon section or compartment by means of the metal rods or strips arranged in criss-cross relation through the center of the pontoon and extending from the upper portion of the inner bands 4| to the lower portion of the adjoining brace or band 4| in the manner shown in Figure 10.

The pontoon end-piece shown in Figures 8 and 9 is especially designed to furnish maximum carrying capacity with minimum water resistance for use on docks, bridges, and the like, and this end-piece, as described above, is formed from a cylindrical tubular-like section having a protecting portion 38 at one end provided with a suitable interlocking device, asdescribed above, for joining the same with a companion section of the pontoon. The forward or prow end of the end-piece 31 is cut into two semi-circles 39, which are pinched together and welded to form the canoe-like prow flaring sharply out and being rounded on the top and bottom. The construction is simplified by means of forty-five degree angular slits at the top and bottom with the apex of each angle at the point on top and bottom where the semi-circular curves 39 are brought together to form the prow. These cut portions are then welded to form a canoe-like prow with triangular portions at the tip and bottom which flare sharply out from the curved shaped prow to the round end which interlocks into the adjoining compartment-note Figures 8 and 9.

It should be understood that certain detail changes in construction and arrangement of parts may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A pontoon of the class described comprising a plurality of sections, one section having an inset wall at one end defining a recess surrounded by an annular flange, an adjoining section, a reduced protruding portion carried by the adjoining section and. adapted to fit within said recess, and

headed lug and socket members carried by the adjacent ends of the sections for detachably looking the sections together.

2. A pontoon of the class described comprising a plurality of sections, one section having an inset wall at one end defining a recess surrounded by an annular flange, an adjoining section, a reduced protruding portion carried by the adjoining section and adapted to fit within said recess, and interlocking means carried by said wall and flange of the first mentioned section and by the protruding portion of the other section for locking the sections together.

3. A pontoon of the class described comprising a plurality of sections, one section having an inset wall at one end defining a recess surrounded by an annular flange, an adjoining section, a reduced protruding portion carried by the adjoining section and adapted to fit within said recess, headed lug and socket members carried by the adjacent ends of the sections for detachably locking the sections together, and a sealing element interposed between the abutting ends of the sections.

4. A pontoon of the class described comprising a plurality of sections, one section having an inset Wall at one end defining a recess surrounded by an annular flange, an adjoining section, a reduced protruding portion carried by the adjoining section and adapted to fit within said recess, interlocking means carried by said wall and flange of the first mentioned section and by the protruding portion of the other section for locking the sections together, said protruding portion having an outer face and an annular periphery, and said interlocking means being located both upon the outer face and also upon the outer periphery of said protruding portion.

5. A pontoon of the class described comprising a plurality of sections, a portion of one section interfitting within a portion of an adjoining section, socket members carried by one section, and headed lugs carried by an adjoining section adapted to fit in the sockets carried by the first mentioned section for locking the sections together, and means for holding the sections against independent rotary movement.

6. A pontoon of the class described comprising a plurality of sections having interfitting portions at adjoining ends, the sections having outer areas extending flush relative to each other when the sections are connected, and interlocking means carried interiorly of the sections for locking the sections tightly together at their adjoining ends to provide a continuously fiush'pontoon.

LOUIS N. BELL.

RONALD Rt HARRIS.

HELEN E. HARRIS. 

